SSgt. Barry SadlerBallads Of The Green Berets

Year of Release: 1966

Rating:

SSgt. Barry Sadler is best known for his #1 hit, "The Ballad Of The Green Berets," a song that is just as
popular for its patriotism as John Wayne's album America, Why I Love Her. Sadler's album Ballads Of
The Green Berets was an instant hit when released back in 1966, as it reached #1 on the Billboard Albums chart
for 5 weeks. This album truthfully relates messages/stories of Patriotism. The album still stands out for today's military
services, indicating the responsibilites of serving our country, fighting and winning wars, and coming home.

The album starts with Sadler's most popular song, "The Ballad Of The Green Berets," a song that is never tiring,
and still is fresh today as it was first recorded. Snappy, jazzy music is the backdrop for "I'm A Lucky One" (which
would be Sadler's title of his autobiography book released in 1967).

The promising tale of coming home from the war in "Letter From Vietnam" does hit home -- Despite how long a war
continues, the fight to win the war, and coming home is always in the back of every soldier's mind.

Most of the songs on this album not only has Sadler's singing, but spoken words. (I can't help but think of William
Shatner's style... and even John Wayne's spoken dialec from America, Why I Love Her"Badge Of Courage, "Saigon" (to name a few) has both singing and spoken phrases.

Sadler's messages are easily heard on "Saigon, "Salute To The Nurses," "The Soldier Has Come Home" and
"Trooper's Lament." These songs all have the same style for Sadler. Yet it's often to pay attention to the music
background, as heard on "I'm Watching The Raindrops Fall" -- there's great guitar pickin' on this tune, and it's
compared to the likes of guitar legend Les Paul in a way.

What is a Garet Trooper ? This track is one
that should not be overlooked; It's another favorite track of mine, and could have easily been as popular as The Ballad
Of the Great Berets -- it is a GREAT track!

Getting back to the music, "Lullaby" has the most pleasant sounding music on this track. The musical style of
Harry Belafonte is heard on "Bamiba."

Sadler's next album was entitled "The "A" Team" -- and the title track is included as a bonus track. (This was
included when the album was reissued on CD by Collector's Choice Music.
"The "A" Team" track is a very good tune, and should be another favorite.

Sadler's singing may not be the highlight of this album, but his messages and stories of Patriotism truly is.
He wrote (or co-wrote) every track on this album. Sadler never proved himself as a singer; he was a soldier, and he did
what other soldiers may have never done -- recorded tracks regarding his experiences in combat.

SSgt. Barry Sadler lead an untimely life: (Taken from his Wikipedia page):On December 1, 1978 at around 11pm, Sadler killed country songwriter Lee Emerson Bellamy with one gunshot to the head.
The shooting was the culmination of a month's long dispute the men had over Darlene Sharp, who was Bellamy's former
girlfriend, and Sadler's girlfriend at the time. Bellamy was not pleased by her involvement with Sadler. Witnesses gave
testimony that prior to the shooting, Bellamy made many harassing phone calls to Sadler, and numerous threats on his life.
On the night in question, Bellamy made several harassing phone calls, including one to the Natchez Trace Restaurant, where
Sadler and Sharp were having dinner and drinks with several friends. That led to Sadler asking the bartender to call the
police, who never responded. Bellamy later followed the group to Sharp's residence and knocked on the door. Sadler exited a
side door to try to catch him in the act, and upon seeing Sadler, Bellamy proceeded to aggressively approach him. It was at
this point, Sadler testified, that he saw a flash of metal. Thinking this was a gun, he discharged his weapon once. Bellamy
was struck in the head and died the following morning. It was later shown that Bellamy was unarmed, and that the flash of
etal was likely from his car keys. After the shooting, according to court records on the case, Sadler then placed a handgun
into Bellamy's van. This may have been to strengthen his case for self defense, which initially, is what Sadler claimed.
This was later changed to a plea of guilty.

On June 1, 1979 Sadler was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Lee Emerson Bellamy, and sentenced to 4–5
years in prison. Upon appeal, due to the circumstances of the case, his sentence was reduced to the 21 days already served
in a Tennessee workhouse. Sadler was later sued for wrongful death by Bellamy's estate, and was ordered to pay restitution
of around $10,000.

In another untimely event, this event would lead to Sadler's death in 1989: (Taken from his Wikipedia page):Sadler moved to Guatemala City in the mid 1980s and often hung out at a bar/restaurant called La Europa (also known as
Freddie's Bar for the German proprietor). He continued to publish the Casca books (mostly using various ghostwriters),
produced a self-defense video (which was never released) and even helped with vaccination programs in rural villages.

It was in Guatemala City that he was shot in the head one night in a taxi. He was airlifted to the U.S. by friends from
Soldier Of Fortune Magazine, where he was hospitalized and remained in a coma for several months. He died little more than
a year later in the Alvin C. York Medical Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The circumstances involving his shooting
remain a mystery. It has been variously claimed that he committed suicide, that he shot himself accidentally while showing
off to a female companion, and that he was assassinated for allegedly training and arming the Contras. The most common story
identifies the incident as a robbery. According to his companion at the time, he had been training Nicaraguan
counter-revolutionaries and had received death threats.

Ballads Of The Green Berets is another great album to play for Patriotic Holidays, for past, present and
future U.S. Military Services. God bless SSgt. Barry Sadler: You served your country well, likewise served a musical
journey for displaying your military knowledge.